LAZARUS

 What was the Purpose of Lazarus’ Sickness?

John 11:4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”

John 11:14 So he (Jesus) told them (the Disciples) plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come let’s go see him.”
***The fact that Jesus tells his disciples that they will really believe, causes me to believe there are levels of faith. The disciples had faith in Jesus, but the upcoming event that they would soon witness would kick their faith to a much higher level.***

2.    John 11:21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you would have been here my brother would not have died. 22. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
       John 11: 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
       John 11: 24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises at the last day.”
***Martha seemed perturbed with Jesus. Obviously, Jesus could have healed her brother. She pretty much blamed Jesus for Lazarus not being alive. In her mind, her brother’s life on this earth was over. Yet, astoundingly, she utters a glitter of hope in verse 22 with the words:
But even now.***

Jesus continues to use this time to predict the soon-to-be-miracle and to proclaim his own glory.
       John 11:25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never, ever die. Do you believe this Martha?”

Now Martha proclaims her supreme faith in Jesus.
      John 11:27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”

3.    John 11:38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.
       John 11:39b But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible..”
       John 11:40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”
***This entire event was orchestrated to help people have faith in Jesus and to see His glory and God’s glory.***

       John 11:41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
***WOW!! Surely everyone believed in Jesus now! OOPS…
     John 11:45 Many of the people who were still with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
***Some of these people did not believe Jesus was the Messiah, so this awesome miracle went right by them.***